By iamproperty
Estate agents are under pressure. But they are not standing still.
That is one of the clearest messages from The real eSTATE of it, iamproperty’s new report exploring what agents are really seeing, feeling and adapting to in today’s market.
Built from insights from more than 320 agents, in-depth interviews with agency leaders, a 7,000-branch strong partner network and consumer research, the report gives a unique 360 view and paints a picture of the market as agents experience it – street by street, buyer by buyer, sale by sale.
The report captures the mood, the pressures and the opportunities that are shaping the next chapter of estate agency. From independents to nationals, it gives agents the floor and the industry a reality check.
Agents are pragmatic optimists
There is often a gap between how the property market is described nationally and how it is experienced locally.
More than half of agents say their local sales market is growing, even though far fewer feel optimistic about the wider economy. Agents may be cautious about the backdrop, but they are still seeing movement where it counts – in their own patches, with their own buyers and sellers.
This is where estate agency has always operated best. Not in national narratives, but in local reality.
A different kind of market is emerging
Across the report, agents repeatedly described a market with fewer casual participants and more serious ones.
There are fewer speculative sellers, fewer tyre-kickers and less noise. But the people who are active are more motivated, more realistic and often quicker to make decisions.
This is not an easy market. It is a sharper one.
And in a sharper market, the value of a good agent becomes easier to see.
The market is shifting – and so is the job
The report highlights a shift in who agents are increasingly working with.
Landlord activity is expected to soften further, while first-time buyers, downsizers and auction sellers are becoming more prominent. That has a direct impact on service. These customers often need more explanation, more reassurance and more support to navigate the process.
So, the role of the agent is not getting smaller. It is getting broader.
Agents are spending more time guiding, educating and supporting – not just transacting.
Technology is supporting, not replacing
Technology is becoming more embedded in agency life, and AI is now part of the conversation in a big way.
But agents are approaching it with pragmatism. They are using AI to save time, reduce admin and improve responsiveness – not to replace the human side of the role.
That matters because agents still believe strongly in the value of people. Relationships, trust, emotional intelligence, judgement and local expertise remain central to performance.
Technology can support those things. It cannot substitute them.
Agents want progress – but not chaos
There’s also a strong thread around trust, regulation and professionalism.
Agents are not rejecting higher standards. Many actively want them. What they are frustrated by is inconsistency, complexity and a system that often feels harder to navigate than it should be.
They want clearer implementation. Better coordination. A more level playing field.
The same applies to technology. Agents are not asking for more tools. They are asking for better ones – systems that work together, reduce friction and help them deliver a better experience for clients.
What happens next is already underway
So, what does this tell us?
It tells us that estate agency is not simply reacting to change – it is actively reshaping itself around current market realities.
Agencies are rethinking customer mix, service models, skills, team structures and technology. They are adapting to a market where expertise is not a nice-to-have, but a differentiator.
And they are still ambitious. Not blindly optimistic. Not relaxed. But ambitious.
In a sector so often spoken about from the outside, that feels worth listening to.
Because the market does not lie – but neither do agents. Read The real eSTATE of it report here.
